One of the most common problems to face homeowners as the winter drags on is the occurrence of a broken auger belt. This problem affects Cub Cadet mowers and virtually every other model, largely because the combination of frequent use and cold weather easily wears down on the materials used to create the belt itself. While the prospect of repair might initially seem frustrating, homeowners in need of an auger belt replacement should feel at least a little better when they realize just how easy this repair is. In fact, it’s one of the most straightforward jobs performed on today’s Cub Cadet models.
Getting the Job Done: A Step-by-Step Approach to Auger Belt Replacement
To replace the auger belt on any of today’s Cub Cadet snow blowers, homeowners will have to follow a few simple steps. Be sure to bundle up, and always remember to proceed with caution and follow all of the safety steps outlined in the Cub Cadet owner’s manual.
Step 1: Ensure Safety by Disconnecting the Spark Plug Wire
It’s important to ensure that the snow blower cannot “spark” and turn on at any point during this repair, as this could result in serious injury to the person conducting it. Disconnect the spark plug wire from its base within the snow blower before proceeding in order to prevent sudden sparking.
Step 2: Get Ready to Remove the Auger Belt
The next step of the process requires the snow blower to be tipped forward on its front end, so that the auger housing can be accessed. Once that has been done, look for the belt keeper bolt, which is positioned near the drive pulley. This bolt is used to keep the auger belt from “jumping” out but, in this case, it’s actually preferred that the belt comes out of the snow blower.
Cub Cadet owners will need a socket wrench to complete this step, generally with a hex head in place. After the bolt has been loosened and removed, the snow blower can be returned to its normal position.
Step 3: Remove the Existing Auger Belt
With the belt keeper bolt removed, getting rid of the existing auger belt is pretty straightforward. With the snow blower in its upright position, simply push the auger belt off of the pulley. This may require rolling and rocking the belt back and forth. Both things are perfectly fine, and will not do any damage to the other parts of the snow blower.
Because forcing the belt to come off of the pulley too soon can result in quite a jolt of force, it’s recommended that homeowners pursue this step slowly and carefully, rather than with impatience. A slow removal will be better for the snow blower and its operator. To complete the removal of the belt entirely, squeeze the auger brake once the belt is near the edge of the pulley. This will allow it to come off very easily, and the new auger belt can be installed.
Step 4: Install the New Auger Belt
To install the new auger belt, simply follow the above instructions in reverse. Squeeze the auger brake to get the installation started, and then gently rock and roll the belt into place until it is in the proper position.
Step 5: Prepare the Snow Blower for Active Use
Finally, be sure to reconnect the spark plug wire so that the snow blower can be easily started next time there’s a major snowfall that needs to be cleared. After this is done, the Cub Cadet snow blower is ready to handle anything Mother Nature throws its way.
OEM Parts: The Benefits of Sticking with Cub Cadet During Replacement
When the time comes to replace an auger belt, most Cub Cadet owners are bombarded by parts that come from third party manufacturers, as well as from Cub Cadet itself. The parts made by Cub Cadet are referred to as OEM parts, and they’re the best ones for any repair or replacement that must be done.
OEM parts are made by the same company, and sometimes the same people, in charge of manufacturing the actual snow blower. Their materials are high quality, and they’re guaranteed to be compatible with the snow blower model for which they’re being sold. Sometimes, off-brand parts can present complications with compatibility and materials that will cause snow blower owners even more headaches in the future.
CubParts.com is a Great Place to Find OEM Auger Belts and More
For the best selection of OEM replacement parts CubParts.com is a Cub Cadet owner’s best asset. The website is full of parts for every type of equipment, and every model number, supported by the company. Best of all, consumers can use a parts lookup tool to enter their snow blower’s model number and even a part number. Doing so will reveal the right parts, or the exact part, needed for any replacement.
Because of its broad selection and intuitive tools, CubParts.com should be the first resource any Cub Cadet owner uses when looking for the parts they need to get the job done on their own.